


The Will of the Weaver

by Lullabymoon



Category: Circle of Magic - Tamora Pierce
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-06-17
Updated: 2010-06-17
Packaged: 2017-10-10 04:00:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,085
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/95254
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lullabymoon/pseuds/Lullabymoon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For the prompt: Sandrilene fa Toren, It's one thing for Daja to love women. It's another thing entirely for Duke Vedris's niece.</p><p>During the feast celebrating her adoption as heir, Sandry thinks about what being nisamohi will mean for her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Will of the Weaver

Lady Sandrilene fa Toren sighed. Her Uncle glanced at her but no one else gave any indication they had heard. She went back to glancing around the hall, eyes inevitably drawn back to what had made her sigh in the first place.

Daja.

More specifically, Daja and the woman sitting next to her. She resisted the urge to sigh again as she watched them joke with each other. It was a kick to the stomach to watch them hold hands throughout the feast, a feast that in theory should be one of her happiest occasions.

She forced a smile as her Uncle stood to toast her and struggled to listen. She kissed him on the cheek when he finished, "Thank you," and almost immediately lost herself in her thoughts again.

'_You know, anyone would think you didn't want to be named heir._' Briar's voice broke into her thoughts. She fought the childish response to stick her tongue out at him.

'_I am happy._' Even she could hear that was weak and Briar snorted through their connection.

'_No one important cares._'

'_No one important to me. There is a difference!_' she snapped. She reined in her temper. '_I know that._'

Briar didn't say anything.

She sighed. '_I'm sorry._'

There was more silence then, '_Try and smile, people will think there is something wrong._' She relaxed as she felt his acceptance of her apology although she felt the urge to throw something at him.

'_There is something wrong!_'

'_No need to shout._'

She fumed for a minute, only schooling her features when she received a glance from her Uncle.

'_There is something wrong._' She repeated, her tone calmer. '_Whole groups of people, my people, will see me as despicable, as something unfit to rule Emelan,_'

'_Compared to those who want to see you wiped off the face of Emelan for being a mage, for interfering and mucking up their plans, for being your annoying self?_'

'_That's different. That's for things I've done, not because of who I am._'

'_Are you trying to tell me a mage is not who you are?_'

Sandry grasped her dress between her fingers as she mulled that over, the fabric twisting in her grip.

'_No,_' she smoothed the newly formed creases with a pass of her hand.

'_You just need to keep quiet about it for a while._' Before she could reply, he added, '_yeah, I know it stinks but what else can you do?_' he left her to fume.

'_I'll show them, I'll…_' she trailed off as she felt Briar's satisfaction through their link and she smiled.

'_You'll do what you normally do and make everyone love you._' His voice through the link was a grumble but she could feel the affection behind it.

She turned it over in her mind and sighed, this time audibly.

'Alright, my dear?" Her Uncle turned to her.

'Fine Uncle, Briar and I were just having a conversation." He nodded, a slight smile forming on his face, and turned back to the conversation he was having with her cousin Ambros.

'_I don't even want to think about what it will involve._'

'_No one ever said it would be easy._'

She sat in silence, turning to her right when she was engaged in conversation. It lulled as the next course was served and once again she retreated to her thoughts.

She could feel the despair begin to creep over her sat the thought of all she would have to do when Briar's voice butted in again.

'_Think of it like weaving fabric._' She could feel his grin over the link at using an analogy he knew would get her to listen. '_You need to get your threads in place before you can start._'

She smiled at his comparison. '_I suppose you mean I need several ways to change people's minds._'

'_First off, you need to keep doing what you do._'

She frowned in puzzlement. '_Why would that help?_' She could feel Briar's amused frustration.

'_Because for some reason, people love you. Don't see why, cos you're a right dozy mare sometimes._'

Sandry grinned as she reached out and made his clothes rumple and rub against him. She made it a point to ignore his grumblings. '_I get your point. I build up goodwill among the people and it will help support against anyone's prejudice or any attempt at overthrowing me._'

'_That's more like it. Next, you need to let us do scouting for girls for you._'

She snorted.

'_Okay, me and Daja._' She could feel his grin.

'_Alright. What's the next stage in your masterplan?_' She could see him sticking his tongue out at her from across the hall and it brought another smile to her face.

'_You adopt an heir. Now the Duke has adopted you, no one will be surprised._'

She had to stop herself from nodding in agreement. '_There would be talk but there always is._' She took a sip of her wine. '_I suppose it could all work together if I was discreet and very quiet about it._'

'_Just like weaving!_' He grinned as he related it back to his analogy and she smiled back.

Her smile faded. '_I'll essentially be living a lie though._'

'_Nah, you just won't be telling the truth. There's a difference. Besides, never said the plan was perfect._'

Sandry looked down into her wine glass. '_No, it isn't._' She looked across at Daja and then her uncle before gazing around the room. '_I don't suppose anything ever is._' She briefly closed her eyes and sighed. '_I need to stop feeling sorry for myself._'

'_You do. Yeah, the plan stinks and it'll take years but so do Shakkans to grow properly. Plus, you've got us and all this grub to keep you going._'

She laughed softly into their bond and Daja must have picked up on it for she finally dragged her gaze away from her partner and looked at her.

'_You alright?_' she asked Sandry.

'_She's fine, just planning her next social change._' Briar interjected.

Daja laughed. '_Why does that not surprise me?_' She and Briar exchanged a smile and the amusement lingered through their link as dessert was served.

Sandry started eating but stopped as something occurred to her. '_You've thought about this before?_' she sounded shocked, but pleased.

'_Always gotta have an escape plan._' Briar replied.

She smiled, a real, wide smile that lit up her face. '_Thank you._'

'_Not a problem. Now go and annoy someone else._'

Sandry laughed and resumed eating her dessert.


End file.
